Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device includes: a substrate; a plurality of pixels on the substrate, the plurality of pixels being around a first area and at least partially surrounding the first area; a light-transmissive wire on the substrate and overlapping the first area; and an encapsulation member covering the plurality of pixels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/130,590, filed on Sep. 13, 2018, which claims priority to and thebenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0117750, filed on Sep.14, 2017, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure ofeach of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

One or more embodiments relate to a display device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Display devices have been used for a variety of purposes. As displaydevices have become thinner and lighter, the range of use thereof haswidened.

As display devices have been used for various reasons, various methodsmay be used to manufacture display devices. Also, functions which may beintegrated with or applied to display devices have increased.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments include a display device including a first areain a display area, wherein an electronic component such as a camera, asensor, etc. may overlap the first area.

Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description whichfollows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may belearned by practice of the presented embodiments.

According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes: asubstrate; a plurality of pixels on the substrate, the plurality ofpixels being disposed around a first area and at least partiallysurrounding the first area; a light-transmissive wire disposed on thesubstrate and overlapping the first area; and an encapsulation membercovering the plurality of pixels.

The plurality of pixels may include a first pixel and a second pixelspaced apart from each other with the first area therebetween. The firstpixel may include a first thin film transistor (TFT) and a first lineconnected to the first TFT, and the second pixel may include a secondTFT and a second line connected to the second TFT. The wire mayelectrically connect the first line with the second line.

The display device may further include at least one insulating layerinterposed between the first line and the wire, and the first line andthe wire may be connected to each other via a contact hole penetratingthe at least one insulating layer.

A thickness of the wire may be less than a thickness of at least one ofthe first line or the second line.

A width of the wire may be greater than a width of at least one of thefirst line or the second line.

The first line and the second line may be a scan line, a data line, or adriving voltage line.

The encapsulation member may include a glass substrate.

The encapsulation member may include at least one inorganic insulatinglayer and at least one organic insulating layer.

According to one or more embodiments, a display device includes: asubstrate; a circuit layer disposed on the substrate and comprising aplurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) and a plurality of lineselectrically connected to the plurality of TFTs; an array including aplurality of display elements and disposed on the circuit layer; and anencapsulation member covering the array, wherein the array includes afirst area, and the plurality of display elements are disposed adjacentto the first area so as to at least partially surround the first area,and the circuit layer includes a wire overlapping the first area.

The wire may be light-transmissive.

The plurality of display elements may include a first display elementand a second display element spaced apart from each other with the firstarea therebetween, and the wire may electrically connect a first line ofthe first display element with a second line of the second displayelement.

A thickness of the wire may be less than a thickness of at least one ofthe first line or the second line.

A width of the wire may be greater than a width of at least one of thefirst line or the second line.

Each of the plurality of display elements may include: a pixel electrodeon the circuit layer; a pixel-defining layer having an opening exposingthe pixel electrode; an emission layer on the pixel electrode; and anopposite electrode on the emission layer.

The pixel-defining layer may have a hole corresponding to the firstarea.

The opposite electrode may be formed as one body so as to correspond tothe plurality of display elements.

The opposite electrode may have a hole corresponding to the first area.

The encapsulation member may include a glass substrate.

The encapsulation member may include at least one inorganic insulatinglayer and at least one organic insulating layer.

The display device may further include a reflection-prevention layerdisposed on the encapsulation member and including a hole correspondingto the first area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readilyappreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according to anembodiment;

FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a pixel in a display device,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according to anembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion around a first area of a displaydevice according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according toanother embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of portion VIII of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display deviceaccording to another embodiment;

FIGS. 11A through 11C are cross-sectional views of a display deviceaccording to embodiments, corresponding to a first area;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according toanother embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according toanother embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may have various modifications and embodiments,and thus, some of the embodiments will be illustrated in the drawingsand described in detail in the detailed description of the invention.The advantages and features of the present invention and methods ofachieving the advantages and features will be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodimentsof the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein.

Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in more detail withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbersrefer to like elements throughout. The present invention, however, maybe embodied in various different forms, and should not be construed asbeing limited to only the illustrated embodiments herein. Rather, theseembodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will bethorough and complete, and will fully convey the aspects and features ofthe present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly,processes, elements, and techniques that are not necessary to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art for a complete understanding of theaspects and features of the present invention may not be described.Unless otherwise noted, like reference numerals denote like elementsthroughout the attached drawings and the written description, and thus,descriptions thereof will not be repeated. In the drawings, the relativesizes of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,”“third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements,components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components,regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms.These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region,layer or section from another element, component, region, layer orsection. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or sectiondescribed below could be termed a second element, component, region,layer or section, without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the presentinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a” and “an” are intendedto include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and “including,” when used inthis specification, specify the presence of the stated features,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressionssuch as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify theentire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of thelist.

Sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience ofexplanation. In other words, since sizes and thicknesses of componentsin the drawings are arbitrarily illustrated for convenience ofexplanation, the following embodiments are not limited thereto.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,”“third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements,components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components,regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms.These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region,layer or section from another element, component, region, layer orsection. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or sectiondescribed below could be termed a second element, component, region,layer or section, without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,”“above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofexplanation to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or in operation, in additionto the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the devicein the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or“beneath” or “under” other elements or features would then be oriented“above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below”and “under” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Thedevice may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at otherorientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein shouldbe interpreted accordingly.

When a certain embodiment may be implemented differently, a specificprocess order may be performed differently from the described order. Forexample, two consecutively described processes may be performedsubstantially at the same time or performed in an order opposite to thedescribed order.

The electronic or electric devices and/or any other relevant devices orcomponents according to embodiments of the present invention describedherein may be implemented utilizing any suitable hardware, firmware(e.g. an application-specific integrated circuit), software, or acombination of software, firmware, and hardware. For example, thevarious components of these devices may be formed on one integratedcircuit (IC) chip or on separate IC chips. Further, the variouscomponents of these devices may be implemented on a flexible printedcircuit film, a tape carrier package (TCP), a printed circuit board(PCB), or formed on one substrate. Further, the various components ofthese devices may be may be a process or thread, running on one or moreprocessors, in one or more computing devices, executing computer programinstructions and interacting with other system components for performingthe various functionalities described herein. The computer programinstructions are stored in a memory which may be implemented in acomputing device using a standard memory device, such as, for example, arandom access memory (RAM). The computer program instructions may alsobe stored in other non-transitory computer readable media such as, forexample, a CD-ROM, flash drive, or the like. Also, a person of skill inthe art should recognize that the functionality of various computingdevices may be combined or integrated into a single computing device, orthe functionality of a particular computing device may be distributedacross one or more other computing devices without departing from thespirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

In the following examples, the x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis are notlimited to three axes of the rectangular coordinate system, and may beinterpreted in a broader sense. For example, the x-axis, the y-axis, andthe z-axis may be perpendicular to one another, or may representdifferent directions that are not perpendicular to one another.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Itwill be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonlyused dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and/orthe present specification, and should not be interpreted in an idealizedor overly formal sense, unless expressly so defined herein.

A display device to be described below is configured to display animage. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, embodiments of anorganic light-emitting display device will be described. However, thepresent invention is not limited thereto. For example, the displaydevice may be an inorganic light-emitting display device, or the like.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display device 1 according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a substrate 100 of the display device 1 may includea display area DA and a non-display area NDA. The display area DA is anarea configured to provide an image (e.g., a predetermined image) andincludes pixels PX. Each of the pixels PX may include a display element,such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), and the display area DAmay be surrounded by the non-display area NDA not including the pixelsPX. The non-display area NDA is an area configured not to provide animage. A driver and a wire transmitting an electrical signal or power tobe applied to each pixel PX may be in the non-display area NDA.According to an embodiment, at least a portion of the non-display areaNDA may be bent or folded toward a rear surface of the display area DA.

A first area RA1 may be on the display area DA and surrounded by thepixels PX. The first area RA1 may be an area configured for additionalelectronic components for functions of the display device 1, or foradditional electronic components which may add new functions to thedisplay device 1. For example, when the display device 1 includeselectronic components, such as a camera, a sensor, etc., such electroniccomponents may overlap the first area RA1. The sensor may include asensor configured to receive and use light such as an infrared sensor, adistance sensor, a fingerprint recognition sensor, etc., but embodimentsof the present invention are not limited to these described examples. Inthe case of the sensor configured to receive and use light, the sensormay receive light in various optical wavelength ranges, such as visiblelight, infrared light, ultra-violet light, etc. The pixels PX may not beformed in the first area RA1 and the first area RA1 may be surrounded bythe pixels PX.

FIG. 2 is an equivalent circuit diagram of any one pixel PX of a displaydevice according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pixel PX may include a pixel circuit PCconnected to a scan line SL and a data line DL, and a display element,for example, an OLED, which is connected to the pixel circuit PC.

The pixel circuit PC may include a driving thin film transistor (TFT)Td, a switching TFT Ts, and a storage capacitor Cst. The switching TFTTs may be connected to the scan line SL and the data line DL, and maytransmit a data signal that is input by the data line DL, to the drivingTFT Td, based on a scan signal that is input by the scan line SL.

The storage capacitor Cst may be connected to the switching TFT Ts and adriving voltage line PL and may store a voltage corresponding to adifference between a voltage received from the switching TFT Ts and adriving voltage ELVDD that is supplied to the driving voltage line PL.

The driving TFT Td may be connected to the driving voltage line PL andthe storage capacitor Cst, and may adjust a driving current flowing fromthe driving voltage line PL to the OLED, based on a value of the voltagestored in the storage capacitor Cst. The OLED may emit light havingpredetermined brightness based on the driving current. The OLED mayemit, for example, light of red, green, blue, or white. In thisspecification, it may be understood that the pixel PX refers to a pixelemitting light of any one of red, green, blue, and white, as describedabove.

As described with reference to FIG. 2, the pixel PX includes two TFTsand one storage capacitor Cst. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto. According to another embodiment, the pixel PX mayinclude more than three TFTs and more than two storage capacitors. Thedesign of the pixel circuit PC may be modified in various ways.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according to anembodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion around the first area RA¹of a display device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is across-sectional view taken along a line V-V of FIG. 4 according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first area RA1 may be surrounded by the pixelsPX. Each pixel PX may include an OLED, and a pixel circuit including aTFT, a storage capacitor, and lines electrically connected to the TFTand the storage capacitor, as described above with reference to FIG. 2.FIG. 3 illustrates data lines 11, 12A, and 12B transmitting data signalsto each pixel PX and driving voltage lines 21, 22A, and 22B providing adriving voltage ELVDD.

The data lines 11, 12A, and 12B are electrically connected to a datadriver 1100. The data driver 1100 may be a chip on panel (COP) type anddisposed on the non-display area NDA (refer to FIG. 1). Alternatively,the data driver 1100 may be a chip on film (COF) type and disposed on aflexible circuit substrate (not shown) electrically connected to aterminal portion (not shown) provided in the non-display area NDA.

In some examples, some of the pixels PX may be at a side (e.g. a leftside or a right side in FIG. 3) of the first area RA1 in an x direction.Each of these pixels PX may be arranged to be adjacent to each other ina y direction, and may receive the data signal by the data line 11.Other pixels PX, which are arranged in the y direction and spaced apartfrom each other with the first area RA1 therebetween, may beelectrically connected to the data line 12A or 12B passing eachcorresponding pixel PX. The data lines 12A and 12B, which are spacedapart from each other in the y direction with the first area RA1therebetween, may be connected to each other by a first wire(hereinafter, referred to as a first connection wire CNL1).

Some pixels PX (e.g. the pixels PX at the left side or the right side ofthe first area RA1) may receive the driving voltage ELVDD (refer to FIG.2) by the driving voltage line 21. Meanwhile, each of the pixels PX,which are arranged in the y direction and spaced apart from each otherwith the first area RA1 therebetween, may be electrically connected tothe driving voltage line 22A or 22B passing each corresponding pixel PX.The driving voltage lines 22A and 22B, which are spaced apart from eachother in the y direction with the first area RA1 therebetween, may beconnected to each other by a second wire (hereinafter, referred to as asecond connection wire CNL2).

The first and second connection wires CNL1 and CNL2 may overlap thefirst area RA1 and may include a transparent conductive material. Inthis specification, to be transparent denotes that light is transmittedand may be the same as having light-transmittance. Here, it may beunderstood that to be “transparent” or to have “light-transmittance”denotes that a transmissivity is equal to or higher than about 70%.

For example, the first and second connection wires CNL1 and CNL2 mayinclude conductive oxide, metal thin films, organic semiconductormaterials, or the like. The conductive oxide may include indium tinoxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide(In₂O₃), indium gallium oxide (IGO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), or thelike. The metal thin films may include Mo, Ti, Mg, Al, Ag, or an alloythereof.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, any one of the pixels PXwhich are spatially separated from each other with the first area RA1therebetween will be referred to as a first pixel PX1, and other of thepixels PX will be referred to as a second pixel PX2. That is, the firstand second pixels PX1 and PX2 is spaced apart from each other while thefirst area RA1 is between the first pixel PX1 and the second pixel PX2.Likewise, any one of the data lines 12A and 12B which are spatiallyseparated from each other with the first area RA1 therebetween, which isconnected to the first pixel PX1, will be referred to as a first dataline. Other of the data lines 12A and 12B will be referred to as asecond data line. That is, the first and second data lines 12A and 12Bspaced apart from each other while the first area RA1 is between thefirst data line 12A and the second data line 12B. Similarly, any one ofthe driving voltage lines 22A and 22B which are spatially separated fromeach other with the first area RA1 therebetween, which is connected tothe first pixel PX1, will be referred to as a first driving voltageline. Other of the driving voltage lines 22A and 22B will be referred toas a second driving voltage line. That is, the first and second drivingvoltage lines 22A and 22B spaced apart from each other while the firstarea RA1 is between the first driving voltage lines 22A and the seconddriving voltage lines 22B.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first pixel PX1 and the second pixel PX2 may beat opposite sides (for example, an upper side and a lower side in the ydirection) of the first area RA1. The first pixel PX1 may be connectedto the first data line 12A and the first driving voltage line 22A, andthe second pixel PX2 may be connected to the second data line 12B andthe second driving voltage line 22B.

The first and second data lines 12A and 12B are spatially separated fromeach other due to the first area RA1. However, the first and second datalines 12A and 12B may be electrically connected to each other by thefirst connection wire CNL1. For example, the first and second data lines12A and 12B may be electrically connected to the first connection wireCNL1 via first contact holes CNT1. Similarly, the first and seconddriving voltage lines 22A and 22B are spatially separated from eachother due to the first area RA1. However, the first and second drivingvoltage lines 22A and 22B may be electrically connected to each other bythe second connection wire CNL2. The first and second driving voltagelines 22A and 22B may be electrically connected to the second connectionwire CNL2 via second contact holes CNT2.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first data line 12A and the first connectionwire CNL1 may be connected to each other via the first contact hole CNT1penetrating at least one insulating layer IL2 (hereinafter, referred toas a second insulating layer) interposed between the first data line 12Aand the first connection wire CNL1. A first insulating layer IL1 may bebetween the first data line 12A and the substrate 100, and the firstconnection wire CNL1 may be covered and protected by a third insulatinglayer IL3. Each of the first through third insulating layers IL1, IL2,and IL3 may include a single layer or multiple layers including aninorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material. Theinorganic insulating material may, for example, include silicon oxide,silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, etc. The organic insulatingmaterial may, for example, include a general-purpose polymer, such aspolymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or polystylene (PS); a polymer derivativehaving a phenol-based group; an acyryl-based polymer; an imide-basedpolymer; an arylether-based polymer; an amide-based polymer; afluorine-based polymer; a p-xylene-based polymer; a vinylalcohol-basedpolyer; or a blend thereof.

FIG. 5 illustrates that the first data line 12A is below the secondinsulating layer IL2, and the first connection wire CNL1 is above thesecond insulating layer IL2. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto. According to another embodiment, the first data line12A may be above the second insulating layer IL2 and the firstconnection wire CNL1 may be below the second insulting layer IL2. FIG. 5illustrates that the first data line 12A and the first connection wireCNL1 directly in contact with each other via the first contact holeCNT1. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingto another embodiment, the first data line 12A and the first connectionwire CNL1 may be electrically connected to each other by a conductivelayer(s) interposed therebetween. For example, the first data line 12Aand the conductive layer(s) may contact each other and the conductivelayer(s) and the first connection wire CNL1 may contact each other. Inthis case, an insulating layer having a contact hole may be interposedbetween the first data line 12A and the conductive layer(s) and betweenthe first connection wire CNL1 and the conductive layer(s).

Until now, the structure between the first data line 12A and the firstconnection wire CNL1 has been described with reference to FIG. 5.However, the above description may also be applied to a structurebetween the second data line 12B and the first connection wire CNL1, astructure between the first driving voltage line 22A and the secondconnection wire CNL2, and a structure between the second driving voltageline 22B and the second connection wire CNL2.

Referring to FIG. 4 again, a width W1 of the first connection wire CNL1overlapping the first area RA1 may be greater than a width W2 of thefirst and second data lines 12A and 12B. Similarly, a width W3 of thesecond connection wire CNL2 overlapping the first area RA1 may begreater than a width W4 of the first and second driving voltage lines22A and 22B. Since the first area RA1 does not include an OLED emittinglight of a predetermined color, it is possible to make full use of thearea, and thus the width W1 of the first connection wire CNL1 and thewidth W3 of the second connection wire CNL2 may be greater than thewidth W2 of the first and second data lines 12A and 12B and the width W4of the first and second driving voltage lines 22A and 22B, respectively.According to an embodiment, the width W1 of the first connection wireCNL1 may be about two to three times greater than the width W2 of thefirst and second data lines W2, and the width W3 of the secondconnection wire CNL2 may be about two to three times greater than thewidth W4 of the first and second driving voltage lines 22A and 22B.

A thickness of the first connection wire CNL1 and a thickness of thesecond connection wire CNL2 may be less than a thickness of the firstand second data lines 12A and 12B and a thickness of the first andsecond driving voltage lines 22A and 22B, respectively, and thus, atransmissivity of the first and second connection wires CNL1 and CNL2may be increased. FIG. 5 illustrates that a thickness t1 of the firstconnection wire CNL1 is less than a thickness t2 of the first data line12A. According to an embodiment, when the widths W1 and W3 of the firstconnection wire CNL1 and the second connection wire CNL2 are relativelygreater while the thicknesses of the first connection wire CNL1 and thesecond connection wire CNL2 are relatively less, the first and secondconnection wires CNL1 and CNL2 may have reduced resistance and increasedlight-transmittance.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a display device according toanother embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6, the first area RA1 may be surrounded by the pixelsPX, and each of the pixels PX may include an OLED, and a pixel circuitincluding a TFT, a storage capacitor, and lines electrically connectedto the TFT and the storage capacitor, as described above with referenceto FIG. 2. FIG. 6 illustrates scan lines 31, 32A, and 32B transmittingscan signals to each pixel PX.

The scan lines 31, 32A, and 32B may be electrically connected to a scandriver 1200. The scan driver 1200 may be disposed in the non-displayarea NDA (refer to FIG. 1).

Some pixels, for example, the pixels PX disposed at a side (for example,an upper side or a lower side in FIG. 6) of the first area RA1, mayreceive a scan signal by the scan line 31. However, other pixels, forexample, the pixels PX spaced apart from each other with the first areaRA1 therebetween, may be electrically connected to the scan line 32A or32B crossing each corresponding pixel PX. The scan lines 32A and 32B maybe spaced apart from each other with the first area RA1 therebetween,and be connected to each other by a third wire (hereinafter, referred toas a third connection wire CNL3).

The third connection wire CNL3 may overlap the first area RA1 and mayhave light-transmittance. The third connection wire CNL3 may include amaterial having light-transmittance and conductivity. For example, thethird connection wire CNL3 may include a transparent conductive oxide,such as ITO, IZO, ZnO, In₂O₃, IGO, AZO, or the like, may include alight-transmissive metal thin film, such as Mo, Ti, Mg, Al, Ag, or analloy thereof, or may include a transparent organic semiconductormaterial.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, any one of the pixels PXspaced apart from each other with the first area RA1 therebetween willbe referred to as a first pixel PX1, and the other one will be referredto as a second pixel PX2. Also, any one of the scan lines 32A and 32Bspaced apart from each other with the first area RA1 therebetween, whichis connected to the first pixel PX1, will be referred to as a first scanline 32A, and the other one, which is connected to the second pixel PX2,will be referred to as a second scan line 32B.

The first and second scan lines 32A and 32B are spatially separated fromeach other due to the first area RA1. However, the first and second scanlines 32A and 32B may be electrically connected to each other by thethird connection wire CNL3. According to an embodiment, the first andsecond scan lines 32A and 32B may be electrically connected to eachother via a third contact hole CNT3 penetrating at least one insulatinglayer interposed between the first and second scan lines 32A and 32B.According to another embodiment, the first and second scan lines 32A and32B may be connected to the third connection wire CNL3 by a conductivelayer(s) between the first and second scan lines 32A and 32B, and thethird connection wire CNL3. For example, the first and second scan lines32A and 32B may contact the conductive layer(s) and the conductivelayer(s) may contact the third connection wire CNL3.

A width W5 of the third connection wire CNL3 may be greater than a widthW6 of the first and second scan lines 32A and 32B. Since the first areaRA1 does not include an OLED emitting light of a predetermined color,the width W5 of the third connection wire CNL3 may be about two to threetimes greater than the width W6 of the first and second scan lines 32Aand 32B.

A thickness of the third connection wire CNL3 may be less than athickness of the first and second scan lines 32A and 32B, and thus, atransmissivity of the third connection wire CNL3 may be increased.According to an embodiment, when the third connection wire CNL3 has therelatively great width W5 and the relatively less thickness, resistanceof the third connection wire CNL3 may be reduced and light-transmittanceof the third connection wire CNL3 may be increased.

Until now, descriptions have been separately given, with respect to theembodiment (refer to FIGS. 3 through 5) in which the first and seconddata lines 12A and 12B are connected to each other and the first andsecond driving voltage lines 22A and 22B are connected to each other bythe first and second connection wires CNL1 and CNL2, respectively, whichoverlap the first area RA1, and an embodiment (refer to FIG. 6) in whichthe first and second scan lines 32A and 32B are connected to each otherby the third connection wire CNL3. However, the present invention is notlimited thereto.

According to another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a displaydevice may include all of the first through third connection wires CNL1,CNL2, and CNL3 overlapping the first area RA1. FIG. 7 is a plan view ofa portion of the display device according to another embodiment, and adetailed structure illustrated in FIG. 7 is the same as the structureillustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6.

According to another embodiment, the display device may include thefirst and third connection wires CNL1 and CNL3 overlapping the firstarea RA1. Alternatively, the display device may include the second andthird connection wires CNL2 and CNL3 overlapping the first area RA1.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device 1A according toanother embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portionVIII of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 8, the display device 1A may include a substrate 100A,a circuit layer 200, an array 300 of OLEDs, an encapsulation member400A, and a reflection prevention layer 500, and a window member 600 maybe on the reflection prevention layer 500.

The substrate 100A may include a rigid glass material. The circuit layer200 including a TFT and lines electrically connected to the TFT may beon the substrate 100A. The TFT and the lines of the circuit layer 200may be electrically connected to the OLEDs.

Referring to FIG. 9, the circuit layer 200 may include the driving TFTTd and the switching TFT Ts, the storage capacitor Cst, the lines, andthe insulating layers interposed therebetween, as described above withreference to FIG. 2. Hereinafter, descriptions will be given in an orderin which components are stacked.

A buffer layer 201 may reduce or block penetration of a foreignmaterial, wetness, or an external body from a lower portion of thesubstrate 100A, and may provide a flat surface on the substrate 100A.The buffer layer 201 may include an inorganic insulating material, suchas oxide or nitride.

The driving TFT Td may include a driving semiconductor layer A1, adriving gate electrode G1, a driving source electrode S1, and a drivingdrain electrode D1. The switching TFT Ts may include a switchingsemiconductor layer A2, a switching gate electrode G2, a switchingsource electrode S2, and a switching drain electrode D2. FIG. 9illustrates an example in which the gate electrodes G1 and G2 of thedriving and switching TFTs Ts and Td are top-gate types disposed on thesemiconductor layers A1 and A2, but the present invention is not limitedthereto. According to another embodiment, the driving and switching TFTsTd and Ts may be bottom-gate types.

A gate insulating layer 203 may be interposed between the drivingsemiconductor layer A1 and the driving gate electrode G1, and betweenthe switching semiconductor layer A2 and the switching gate electrodeG2. The gate insulting layer 203 may include an inorganic insulatingmaterial including oxide or nitride.

The storage capacitor Cst may include a first electrode CE1 and a secondelectrode CE2 overlapping each other, and a first interlayer insulatinglayer 205 may be interposed between the first electrode CE1 and thesecond electrode CE2. FIG. 9 illustrates a case in which the storagecapacitor Cst overlaps the driving TFT Td, and the first electrode CE1of the storage capacitor Cst is the driving gate electrode G1 of thedriving TFT Td. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.The storage capacitor Cst may be disposed in another area of thesubstrate 100A, so as not to overlap the driving TFT Td.

The storage capacitor Cst may be covered by a second interlayerinsulating layer 207. The first and second interlayer insulating layers205 and 207 may include an inorganic insulating material including oxideor nitride. The driving and switching TFTs Td and Ts and the storagecapacitor Cst may be covered by a planarization layer 209 including anorganic insulating material, etc.

A pixel electrode 301 may be electrically connected to the TFT, forexample, the driving TFT Td, via a hole of the planarization layer 209.The pixel electrode 301 may be a reflection electrode, and may includeAg, Mg, Al, Pt, Pd, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, or a compound thereof.

The pixel electrode 301 may be exposed via an opening of apixel-defining layer PDL. The pixel-defining layer PDL may have theopening to expose at least a central region of the pixel-electrode 301,and thus, may define a pixel. The pixel-defining layer PDL may cover anedge of the pixel electrode 301. The pixel-defining layer PDL mayprevent an arc from being generated at an end of the the pixel electrode301 and an opposite electrode 303 by increasing a distance between theedge of the pixel electrode 301 and the opposite electrode 303. Thepixel-defining layer PDL may include an organic material, such aspolyimide (PI) or hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO).

An emission layer 302 may include a low molecular weight material or ahigh molecular weight material. Although not shown, a function layer mayfurther be provided above or below the emission layer 302. The functionlayer may include at least one of a hole injection layer (HIL), a holetransport layer (HTL), an electron transport layer (ETL), and/or anelectron injection layer (EIL).

The opposite electrode 303 may be disposed to cover the emission layer302 and may be a light-transmissive electrode havinglight-transmittance. The opposite electrode 303 may include a metal thinfilm having a low work function and including Li, Ca, LiF/Ca, LiF/Al,Al, Ag, Mg, or a compound thereof. Alternatively, the opposite electrode303 may include a light-transmissive conductive layer, such as ITO, IZO,ZnO, In₂O₃, IGO, or AZO. Alternatively, the opposite electrode 303 mayhave a multi-layered structure in which the described light-transmissiveconductive layer is stacked on the described metal thin film. Accordingto an embodiment, the opposite electrode 303 may include a metal thinfilm including Ag and Mg.

Referring to FIG. 8 again, the array 300 on the circuit layer 200 mayinclude the OLEDs, and each OLED may have the structure described abovewith reference to FIG. 9. The plurality of OLEDs may be arranged aroundthe first area RA1, with the first area RA1 therebetween. Each OLED maycorrespond to each pixel, and thus, the OLEDs illustrated in FIG. 8 maybe arranged around the first area RA1 so as to surround the first areaRA1, like the pixels described above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6.The OLEDs are not disposed in the first area RA1.

Lines (for example, at least one of data lines, driving voltage lines,or scan lines) connected to each of the OLEDs spaced apart from eachother with the first area RA1 therebetween may be provided in thecircuit layer 200. The lines are spatially separated from each otherwith the first area RA1 therebetween. Thus, as described above withreference to FIGS. 3 through 6, the lines may be electrically connectedto each other by the first through third connection wires CNL1, CNL2,and CNL3. The first through third connection wires CNL1, CNL2, and CNL3may be provided in the circuit layer 200 of the display device 1A.Descriptions with respect to the OLEDs and the lines which are spacedapart from each other with the first area RA1 therebetween, and theconnection wires are the same as the descriptions given above withreference to FIGS. 3 through 6.

The encapsulation member 400A may be disposed to cover the array 300.The encapsulation member 400A may include, for example, a glasssubstrate. The encapsulation member 400A may be sealed with thesubstrate 100A, with the circuit layer 200 and the array 300 of theOLEDs between the encapsulation member 400A and the substrate 100A. Forexample, a sealing member surrounding the array 300 may be interposedbetween the substrate 100A and the encapsulation member 400A.

The reflection prevention layer 500 may prevent light that is incidentfrom the outside of the display device 1A toward the display device 1Afrom being reflected from an interface between layers included in thedisplay device 1A and being visible to the outside. The reflectionprevention layer 500 may include a polarizer. Alternatively, thereflection prevention layer 500 may include an optical layer including acolor filter and a black matrix instead of the polarizer. The reflectionprevention layer 500 may include a hole 500H corresponding to the firstarea RA1. When the hole (or open area) 500H is formed in the reflectionprevention layer 500, a transmissivity of the display device 1Acorresponding to the first area RA1 may be increased.

An additional electronic component 700 which may improve the function ofthe display device 1A or add a new function to the display device 1A maybe disposed in the first area RA1. The electronic component 700 mayinclude a camera, a sensor, or the like. The electronic component 700may be disposed at a rear surface of the substrate 100A.

In a portion (or an area) of the display device 1A corresponding thefirst area RA1, the circuit layer 200 may include the first throughthird connection wires CNL1, CNL2, and CNL3 having light-transmittanceas described in FIGS. 3 through 6, and the array 300 may not include theOLEDs. Thus, the electronic component 700, such as a camera or a sensor,may perform an operation, such as photographing an image or receivingexternal light, by the portion of the display device 1A corresponding tothe first area RA1.

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display device 1Baccording to another embodiment.

The display device 1B of FIG. 10 may include a substrate 100B, thecircuit layer 200, the array 300, an encapsulation member 400B, thereflection prevention layer 500, and the window member 600. Detailedstructures of the circuit layer 200, the array 300, the reflectionprevention layer 500, the window member 600, and the display element ofthe display device 1B are the same as those of the display device 1Adescribed above with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. Also, as describedabove with reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, in the display device 1B ofFIG. 10, pixels (or display elements) are disposed to be spaced apartfrom each other based on the first area RA1, and lines (for example,data lines, driving voltage lines, and scan lines) connected to thepixels spaced apart from each other are also spaced apart from eachother based on the first area RA1 and are electrically connected to eachother by connection wires (for example, first through third connectionwires) overlapping the first area RA1. Hereinafter, differences aremainly described.

The substrate 100B may include various materials having flexible orbendable properties. For example, the substrate 100B may include polymerresins, such as polyethersulphone (PES), polyacrylate (PAR),polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylenen naphthalate (PEN), polyethylenenterephthalate (PET), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyarylate, PI,polycarbonate (PC), and cellulose acetate propionate (CAP). Thesubstrate 100B may include a single layer or multiple layers includingthe materials described above, and when the substrate 100B includesmultiple layers, the substrate 100B may further include an inorganiclayer (not shown).

The encapsulation member 400B may include at least one inorganicencapsulation layer and at least one organic encapsulation layer. FIG.10 illustrates that the encapsulation member 400B includes a firstinorganic encapsulation layer 410, a second inorganic encapsulationlayer 420, and an organic encapsulation layer 430 between the firstinorganic encapsulation layer 410 and the second inorganic encapsulationlayer 420. The first and second inorganic encapsulation layers 410 and420 may include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and/or siliconoxynitride, and the organic encapsulation layer 430 may include one ormore materials selected from the group consisting of PET, PEN, PC, PI,polyethylene sulfonate, polyoxymethylene, polyarylate, and HMDSO.However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 10 illustrates that the first and second inorganic encapsulationlayers 410 and 420 and the organic encapsulation layer 430 are stackedon the first area RA1. However, the present invention is not limitedthereto. According to another embodiment, the organic encapsulationlayer 430 may include an area corresponding to the first area RA1. Thearea of the organic encapsulation layer 430 is formed by removing or notdisposing an organic encapsulation material. For example, during aprocess of manufacturing the organic encapsulation layer 430 by using amonomer, a flow of the monomer may be adjusted or a structure, etc. maybe used, in order for the organic encapsulation material not to belocated on the first area RA1.

FIGS. 11A through 11C are cross-sectional views based on the first areaRA1 of a display device according to embodiments. For convenience, theencapsulation members 400A and 400B, the reflection prevention layer500, and the window member 600, described with reference to FIGS. 8 and10, are not illustrated.

Referring to FIGS. 11A through 11C, the pixel PX is disposed to beadjacent to the first area RA1. The pixel PX may include the OLED as thedisplay element, and the pixel circuit PC electrically connected to theOLED may be disposed on the circuit layer 200. The OLED may include thepixel electrode 301 on the circuit layer 200, the pixel-defining layerPDL disposed on the pixel electrode 301 and having an opening to exposea central region of the pixel electrode 301, the emission layer 302 onthe pixel electrode 301 exposed through the opening, and the oppositeelectrode 303 on the emission layer 302. Light of colors may begenerated when excitons, which are formed by a combination of holes andelectrons, decay to a ground state from an exited state.

The first area RA1 has light transmittance in order for the electroniccomponent 700 (refer to FIGS. 8 and 10) to receive light. The emissionlayer 302 may not be in the first area RA1 unlike the pixel PX. Thepixel-defining layer PDL may not be in the first area RA1. For example,the pixel-defining layer PDL may include a hole PDL-h corresponding tothe first area RA1.

In the first area RA1, any one of a pixel electrode 301 d and theopposite electrode 303 may be disposed (refer to FIGS. 11A and 11B), orboth of the pixel electrode 301 d and the opposite electrode 303 may notbe disposed (refer to FIG. 11C). In FIG. 11A, the pixel electrode 301 dmay correspond to a dummy pixel electrode.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are plan views of a portion of a display deviceaccording to another embodiment.

As described above, the pixels PX are arranged to entirely surround thefirst area RA1 (FIGS. 1 through 6). However, the present invention isnot limited thereto. Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the pixels PX maypartially surround the first area RA1, and the first area RA1 may bedisposed between the display area DA and the non-display area NDA.

Referring to FIG. 12, the pixels PX may be disposed at a left side (or aright side) of the first area RA1 and may partially surround the firstarea RA1.

Some pixels PX, for example, a column of the pixels PX, which are by thefirst area RA1 and arranged to be adjacent to each other in a directiony, may receive a data signal by the data line 11 and a driving voltageby the driving voltage line 21. However, other pixels PX, for example,the first and second pixels PX1 and PX2 spaced apart from each otherwith the first area RA1 therebetween, may be connected to the first andsecond data lines 12A and 12B and the first and second driving voltagelines 22A and 22B, respectively. The first and second data lines 12A and12B are disconnected from each other with the first area RA1therebetween, and connected to each other by the first connection wireCNL1 overlapping the first area RA1. The first and second drivingvoltage lines 22A and 22B are disconnected from each other with thefirst area RA1 therebetween and connected to each other by the secondconnection wire CNL2, as described above with reference to FIGS. 3through 5.

Referring to FIG. 13, the pixels PX may be disposed at a lower side (oran upper side) of the first area RA1 and may partially surround thefirst area RA1.

Some pixels PX, for example, a column of the pixels PX, which aredisposed by the first area RA1 and arranged to be adjacent to each otherin the x direction, may receive a scan signal by the scan line 31.However, other pixels PX, for example, the first and second pixels PX1and PX2 spaced apart from each other with the first area RA1therebetween, may be connected to the first and second scan lines 32Aand 32B. The first and second scan lines 32A and 32B are disconnectedfrom each other with the first area RA1 therebetween and connected toeach other by the third connection wire CNL3 overlapping the first areaRA1, as described above with reference to FIGS. 3 through 5.

As described above, according to the one or more of the aboveembodiments, the first area RA1, in which a camera, etc. may be mounted,may be located in the display area DA. Furthermore, since lines (forexample, data lines, etc.) disconnected by the first area RA1 areelectrically connected by the connection wire, and the connection wireoverlaps the first area RA1, the lines need not be curved in order tocircumvent the first area RA1.

It should be understood that embodiments described herein should beconsidered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. Descriptions of features or aspects within each embodimentshould typically be considered as available for other similar featuresor aspects in other embodiments.

While one or more embodiments have been described with reference to thefigures, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat various changes in form and details may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a substrate; a firstpixel and a second pixel on a front surface of the substrate, the firstpixel and the second pixel being spaced apart from each other and havinga first area therebetween; and an encapsulation member covering thefirst pixel and the second pixel, wherein: the first pixel comprises afirst light-emitting diode (LED), a first thin film transistor (TFT)electrically coupled to the first LED, and a first line coupled to thefirst TFT, the second pixel comprises a second LED, a second TFTelectrically coupled to the second LED, and a second line connected tothe second TFT, and the first line and the second line are spaced apartfrom each other and having the first area therebetween, and the firstline and the second line are electrically coupled to alight-transmissive wire overlapping the first area.
 2. The displaydevice of claim 1, further comprising: at least one insulating layerbetween the first line and the light-transmissive wire, wherein thefirst line and the light-transmissive wire are coupled to each other viaa contact hole penetrating the at least one insulating layer.
 3. Thedisplay device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the light-transmissivewire is less than a thickness of at least one selected from the firstline and the second line.
 4. The display device of claim 1, wherein awidth of the light-transmissive wire is greater than a width of at leastone selected from the first line and the second line.
 5. The displaydevice of claim 1, wherein the first line is selected from a scan line,a data line, and a driving voltage line, and the second line is selectedfrom a scan line, a data line, and a driving voltage line.
 6. Thedisplay device of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation member comprises aglass substrate.
 7. The display device of claim 1, wherein theencapsulation member comprises at least one inorganic insulating layerand at least one organic insulating layer.
 8. The display device ofclaim 1, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel comprise anopposite electrode that is formed as one body so as to correspond to thefirst pixel and the second pixel and has a hole corresponding to thefirst area.
 9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising: anelectrical component on a rear surface of the substrate, the electricalcomponent being located in the first area.
 10. The display device ofclaim 9, wherein the electrical component comprises a sensor and/or acamera.
 11. The display device of claim 1, wherein thelight-transmissive wire comprises indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zincoxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In₂O₃), indium galliumoxide (IGO), and/or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).
 12. A display devicecomprising: a substrate; a circuit layer on a front surface of thesubstrate and comprising a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) anda plurality of lines electrically coupled to the plurality of TFTs; anarray on the circuit layer and comprising a plurality of displayelements, the plurality of display elements arranged adjacent to a firstarea so as to at least partially surround the first area; and anencapsulation member covering the array, wherein: the plurality ofdisplay elements comprise a first display element and a second displayelement that are spaced apart from each other and having the first areatherebetween, and the circuit layer comprises a first line electricallycoupled to the first display element and a second line electricallycoupled to the second display element, wherein the first line and thesecond line are spaced apart from each other, have the first areatherebetween, and are electrically coupled to a light-transmissive wireoverlapping the first area.
 13. The display device of claim 12, whereina thickness of the light-transmissive wire is less than a thickness ofat least one selected from the first line and the second line.
 14. Thedisplay device of claim 12, wherein a width of the light-transmissivewire is greater than a width of at least one selected from the firstline and the second line.
 15. The display device of claim 12, whereineach of the plurality of display elements comprises: a pixel electrodeon the circuit layer; an insulating layer having an opening exposing thepixel electrode; an emission layer on the pixel electrode; and anopposite electrode formed as one body so as to correspond to theplurality of display elements.
 16. The display device of claim 15,wherein the opposite electrode has a hole corresponding to the firstarea.
 17. The display device of claim 12, wherein the first line isselected from a scan line, a data line, and a driving voltage line, andthe second line is selected from a scan line, a data line, and a drivingvoltage line.
 18. The display device of claim 12, further comprising: anelectrical component on a rear surface of the substrate, the electricalcomponent being located in the first area.
 19. The display device ofclaim 18, wherein the electrical component comprises a sensor and/or acamera.
 20. The display device of claim 12, wherein thelight-transmissive wire comprises indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zincoxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), indium oxide (In₂O₃), indium galliumoxide (IGO), and/or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).